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Return of the Emblem Chapter Fifteen: Alliance


Phoenix
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Between being chased by Ursians and and kidnapped by Neviskotians, Jam had no interest in siding with anybody. They were here to talk with Kigen. She had no idea why they had to side with either country to do that. Pete's suggestion to side with Neviskotia over "what they had to offer" was particularly offensive to the dancer. There was far too much bad blood, starting with the black dragon that decimated Greta's group.

Fortunately, the conversation veered away from choosing sides to simply talking. Jam wasn't a fan of confronting either side to begin with, but it was better than fighting their war on a chosen side.

"I guess if talking gets them off our back sooner, then I guess it can't hurt," Jam relented. 

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Norbert gave a soft chuckle at the comment about rough days as he reciprocated Nong's handshake. His first encounter with Canaan had immediately come to mind. That certainly had been a little rough at first, but no one got seriously hurt, and he'd made an interesting friend as a result. "Yeah, it has been."

After letting go of Nong's hand, Norbert glanced around the Emi Maru one last time. He had honestly enjoyed his stay aboard the vessel. Then, he gave a final smile and half-wave to Nong as he headed for the ramp, farewelling, "Good luck, Nong."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daichi chuckled a little at Eva's minor panic, and note about the difference in their frequency of speaking Common. He couldn't help but think back to when he was much younger, studying the language in fervorous determination. Then, when his driving force for learning the language went away, how he kept it up and learned more slowly through his interactions on the northern border. It was true that he usually encountered people whose first language was Kigenese, though, so that was what he used the most often, and so he wasn't as practiced in Common as he could have otherwise been.

The woman had slowed down her speech, too, and wasn't jumping topics like she had been, so it was much easier to keep up with her, now. She pointed out a man at the docks -- a man with red hair, who even the Kigenese would consider a nomad or a southerner -- and indicated him as her group's second-in-command. <So, there is a group separate from the ship's crew aboard the ship. Unless she doesn't think I know what a first mate is.>

Daichi thought the last bit of that with an amused smile to himself. It also sounded like they had a fairly mixed group, with one being from Neviskotia, another being a nomad or a southerner, and others being able to speak Kigenese. Then again, it could be that one of them were outliers, and some of them could just speak Kigenese. It would make sense to bring along people like that if one was planning on conducting business in Kigen.

Well, then, it was back to explaining himself to the woman. "Oh, thank you, but I really should not be on a ship unless it is on official business. If your company is not staying on your ship, then I can talk with your boss when he comes off, if I am not interrupting any...thing..."

Speaking of interruptions, Daichi had gotten notably distracted. Not far from their location, a man was walking down the loading ramp of the ship that had come in with the Darklighter Idolus, followed by a pegasus. Said equine, from the looks of things, was fitted for both battle and travel. The man it followed had very similar-looking armor to the pegasus, too, and the way it followed him around...he was probably its rider.

Like wyverns, pegasi were an unusual sight in Kigen. That wasn't what had attracted so much of Daichi's attention, though. It wasn't even that this pegasus rider was a man, and he knew from what he'd been told that such a thing was a fair sight unusual, even in Ursium, where pegasi were most easily found.

Daichi's mind had set all of its processes to work on figuring out what was so familiar about this man. He was sure he'd never met him before. Was it the way he carried himself? No, that wasn't it at all. It was more...the small details. Details so small that it was hard to pinpoint just what they were. All the little things that were observed at all times, and yet went unnoticed in and of themselves... Everything from skin tone to hair texture to the breadth of his shoulders and the shape of his head -- what was it?

Now on Kigen soil proper with his pegasus, the man looked over at him and the woman. There was a guarded curiosity to his eyes. His eyes...

Like a wave crashing over him, memories and realization overwhelmed Daichi's mind. For a moment, he couldn't hardly perceive the actual world around him, so intense and rapid were those memories. This man's features were a blend of ones he knew very well, which was why he couldn't immediately identify what was so familiar. And now, his top priority had shifted.

Leaving his men in confusion and at a loss as to how to proceed, Daichi walked right up to this man. The look on the younger's face turned even more wary, and confusion replaced his earlier curiosity.

"How old are you?" Daichi asked, having enough presence of mind to tell that Common was the safer bet to use between his two known languages.

"Twenty. Why?" asked Norbert. That sure hadn't been what he'd been expecting from this Kigenese guy who'd just been talking with Eva. Was he someone she knew or something? Really, he'd worried they were already in trouble with the Kigenese authorities when the man had come up to him with such an intense look on his face. Being asked his age was enough of a blindside that he hadn't thought to withhold the information, either.

Something changed in the Kigenese man's face. His brow wasn't as furrowed anymore, and there was some sort of new light in his eyes. And then he asked his next question...which shocked Norbert out of his usual wariness.

"Was your mother's name Daphne?" Norbert nodded a little dumbly. The next question came. "From the orphanage in Ursium's northern mountains?"

Norbert countered with his own question this time, though it wasn't an entirely conscious act. "You knew my mother?"

Suddenly, the Kigenese man, whose expression was becoming more emotional by the second, winced a little. "She...never told you about me?"

"She died before I was born. Nigel had to cut me out of her in order to save me," Norbert answered.

A deep pain then filled the Kigenese man's expression. He even raised a hand to his heart, and the look on his face was like something had just physically hurt him. Bert thought he'd even heard a small groan, or grunt. They must have been close... I guess my mother spent some time in Kigen. He certainly hadn't been expecting such a personal revelation as soon as he hit land. Really, though, he felt more sympathetic for this unknown man. It was obvious that the news had hit him hard.

After a brief moment, the man swallowed, and regained some of his composure. He looked to Norbert again, directly in his wine red eyes. His own, green ones, were wet and abounding with all sorts of intense emotion, sorrow being the easiest one for Bert to identify. Then, the Kigenese man asked, "What is your name?"

"Norbert," he replied. Then, in sudden realization, he hastily tagged on, "Nigel named me. And raised me."

The Kigenese man managed a smile. From what relief was in it, he obviously didn't know what sort of childhood Bert had faced, but the Crusher wasn't about to burden this guy with that right now. He was clearly dealing with enough.

"Norbert..." the Kigenese man quietly tried out the name, his eyes becoming distant again as a little smile came onto his face. He seemed oddly...happy, or at peace or something. Norbert noticed that the man was trembling a little, though. Whatever mix of emotions he was experiencing, it had to be potent. But this man's reaction to his name... He wondered if he had known his mother before he was born.

A little reluctantly, Norbert tried again. "Sir... How did you know my mother?"

The man lifted his head again, tears about ready to fall as he gazed tenderly at Norbert. With a choked, and quiet voice, the man answered, "She was my wife."

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Lumi froze as she heard Thales' voice from behind her. Please no. Not him, anyone but him... Turning around, she did her best to smile at him before quickly dropping her gaze back down to the ground. "No, I'm not... Not leaving. Not exactly. I just didn't... There's stuff I need to get done before getting off the boat, that's all." Like unpacking and staying on the boat... Just tell him you coward. He's going to find out eventually, anyways.

She let out a small sad sigh and managed to look up and make eye contact with him, a small sad smile barely noticeable. "I... I was talking with Pete. About... everything that happened. With that... magic. And he was just worried about me and how I haven't been sleeping and how I... He doesn't want all of this to change me. He... He told me I should leave. Go... go work with Weyland in some other form. As a courier maybe. And all I could think about was what if I freeze up again? If I get someone killed because I can't... can't fight. Can't do my job. And I guess I just thought that... he was right." The smile had disappeared and her eyes were being drawn back to the ground. She knew that she had to have just disappointed him and lost his respect but... This is better. Better to keep him safe and lose his respect than get him killed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hoshi stepped off the dock onto solid ground and let out a breath that she hadn't even realized she'd been holding until now. This was it. She was back and nothing terrible had happened in the first thirty seconds. Now it was her job to make sure that continued. For herself and the rest of the group. Drawing herself up as straight and tall as she could (a vastly unimpressive sight), she made her way over to the other ship, waiting for the rest of the group to disembark. If she was going to be in charge of this, she needed to start now. If she was honest with herself, she had been hiding from everything up until now. Letting Amon and others take charge before the port battle, and hiding on the other ship afterwards. But she couldn't do that anymore. Her boss had entrusted her with this mission. <"And I will see it through. No matter what we face."> The sentiment would have been more impressive if there hadn't been an audible fear tinging it, but it was a start.

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Nadya

"I don't think your really Shadrak's type either. That fella's got some weird taste in girls," Nadya remarked, remembering his peculiar...fascination with the Fallen girl they kidnapped. "Maybe cousins or somethin'? Ya need to manage somehow because my gold is Truth knows where right now. Haythem said he'd bring it back, but I think it's outta his hands at this point," Nadya said to Greta with a small sigh at what could have been.

Liam

"I agree that we should keep everything about the emblem a secret- even from our potential allies. We can lie if we must- say it is a blessing from the gods or something similar, but we must avoid conflict with those who would seek its power," he stated.

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"Blessing from the gods, huh...Wait, there's an idea," Pete said, snapping his fingers all of a sudden. "Just pass it off as a blessing from Aisha for now. That's close enough to the truth anyways, without being too unbelievable given that twister weapon. That'll also cover for why we can't summon the battleship right now, as well. 'Her will be done', or whatever."

"Okay, that's a start, then," he continued, as he glanced out towards the dock. "We should talk to Hoshi, and figure out where exactly would be a good place to meet with any of the sides. And a place for some of the others to lay low, in the meanwhile." 

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"Sure thing. We're a group that's not a part of the ship's crew, actually. So we'll be getting off, and staying in Kigen for a while... Sir? Oh. That's... Norbert." He was already off, and Eva... While she was on better terms with the rider, he was still too... Him, for her to want to get involved with things. If she was needed for anything else, then they could come and see her. Besides, leaving Sasha unattended was asking for trouble, even if he was as cozy as could be. She idly patted his head, watching the two talk, wondering what was going on.


He hadn't said anything? What was this all about then? Curiously, she followed after Thales, poking her head out from behind him. Common Common Common, blah blah blah-- Wait, she picked up Lumi's name. And... Leave? What? Why? "Lumi, leave?" She chimed in, looking at the girl who now seemed... Upset. That was a good way to put it. "Why, leave? No leave! Lumi friend. Make talk, teach Kigenese!" She grabbed at Lumi's hand, staring at her. "Why, go?" Did something happen during the battle? Or with Thales? He totally had to have said something stupid. What the heck, Thales...?

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A Golden Opportunity

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Roughly six days into their ocean crossing, things on board the Darklighter Idolus had certainly grown different then they had been prior. Malik continued to gain more and more prominence as he grew into his role as First Mate, and thusly, things had grown more peaceful, especially with Pete joining in on the peace-keeping force. The Sancturan also seemed to grow closer and closer to Lexi as time went on, be that from her own influence, or from Malik discovering his own feeling, Angelica wasn't entirely sure, though it didn't matter much what the avenue was, so long as they got what they wanted in the end. 

But someone clearly wasn't getting what they wanted. Amon had grown steadily more depressed as their trip continued, but today was the straw that seemed to break the Sancturan's back. Several things were different about Amon... for one, he had went to meditate with Joanna, and departed within a short span of time, at least twice already that morning... and those were just the instances that she had personally noticed. More important than Amon's oddly shy attempts to socialize, and most assuredly related, was the issue of his eyes. Angelica had thought herself crazy when she first noticed, but it was definitely true... the golden, gem-like visage that Amon had adorned ever since awakening his ability was gone. And while it might have been related to him getting used to and reigning in his power, the frequent visits to Joanna of all people made it seem unlikely that was the case.

Luckily enough, after his most recent attempt, Amon had retreated back to his little hiding hole on this ship, the cargo hold. Following him down to the bleak room he had made his living space for the past week, Angelica scowled as the Sancturan came into view.

"Amon. I need to talk to you. Do I need to spell it out, or can you figure out why on your own?"

Talk? Amon had a few guesses in mind, but unless they all fit into one category, he doubted he'd get it right on his first guess. Word of Ra's appears was starting to get around, so that may or may not have been Angelica's topic of interest. It might have been more specifically about his eyes, even more specifically, the Regalia, which was no defunct, thanks to Ra. Lastly were his visits to Joanna ... also Ra's doing. Those visits probably hadn't gone unnoticed, either.

"Well," Amon shrugged bitterly, "I'm sure it's emblem related, whatever it is."

"What a generalist answer. Well, you aren't wrong, so I guess it worked out for you." Angelica replied, frowning at Amon's dismissive body language. He really was out of it lately, huh?

"Well, may as well start from the beginning. Your eyes have changed back to normal, and it happened sometime last night or early this morning, since they were still gold yesterday afternoon. You've been creeping on Joanna all morning, going in to meditate and leaving within twenty minutes... repeatedly, and you're even more mopey and gloomy than you have been since this whole mess started." Angelica noted, listing off Amon's transgressions, so to speak, on her fingers as she spoke.

"Something happened with your ability, and you're trying to breach the situation with Joanna, with no luck to be had." Angelica concluded, sitting down on a crate and pulling one knee up to her chest, resting her cheek against it lazily.

"So what happened?"

Amon was silent for a moment. He knew he looked like he was clumsily tossing together a dumb, spur of the moment lie, but that was better than immediately answering off the top of his head like last time. No matter how impartial he felt his assessments were, of the situation, and of Ra, the latter just wouldn't give him a break. "Well ..." Ra wouldn't give him a break, would he? What was the point, then?

Amon sighed, letting some of his pent up frustration come to the surface, where even the most oblivious of the group's members would notice it had they been present. "You know what, I'm just going to wait, this time." Maybe if he didn't say much of anything else, or at least not give an assessment, Ra would have to introduce himself and explain. A bit petty but so was Ra, as far as Amon was concerned.

Amon seemed to be taking his sweet time in answering, which surprised Angelica a bit. Was whatever had happened to difficult to parse, even with Amon's enhanced Emblem knowledge from Nyx? The mage waited for a moment, before Amon let out an abrupt, uncharacteristic sigh, followed by a cryptic statement... and not much else.

"Wait? Wait for what, Amon?"

Wait for the nightmare to begin anew, Amon thought. "Wait for something obnoxious to happen," he said, his eyes glancing around the hold. There was no telling where exactly Ra would materialize, but sooner or later, he was bound to make an entrance.

Maybe.

On the other hand, he probably had the patience to wait Amon himself out. The realization left the sancturan feeling helpless, again, and his frustration took on a more somber shade.

"Something obnoxious, huh?" Angelica echoed, looking Amon over. He was acting strange, that much was certain... could an Emblem ability be effected if it's user was ill? Standing up and walking over to Amon, Angelica leaned in close to the Rexian, placing her hand against his forehead.

"Hmm... no fever. Well, there goes that idea..."

Amon groaned as Angelica checked his temperature. "You know I'm not sick," he said, sighing again. Did he really have to go through this nonsense a second time? If he had to start talking about the apparition to get him to come out, then fine, but Amon was getting in the first blow, this time. "Alright, Ra ... come out and stop hiding. I've got nothing kind to say about you, so just-"

The very next thing Amon heard was the sound of shattering wood. He felt was his back's cries of sheer agony as he plowed through at least two crates. He was dazed, and lying in a heap of splinters and old--now damaged--supplies, having no idea how he'd gotten there, what sent him flying back so unimaginably fast, or even what flipping day it was.

Now sitting on a crate on the opposite end of the hold, was Ra, smiling in amusement at the disaster zone he'd evidently created.

"You're acting strange enough that I'm not so sure." Angelica retorted, as Amon seemed to resign himself to... something, and begin... talking to someone? He said the name Ra, but who was-

In her wildest dreams, Angelica would have never predicted what happened next. As if out of nowhere, Amon looked as though he'd been kicked in the chest, flying backwards across the cargo hold and slamming into a pile of crates at the far end of the room, ending up in an unceremonious heap among soiled supplied and broken wood.

"Amon, what-" Angelica began, about to approach the fallen Sancturan before an obvious presence made itself known behind her. Turning to face the new, unknown entity, who given Amon's earlier words, must have called himself Ra, well... he was certainly a sight to behold.

"Well, you must be Ra, then. Very shiny, explains where the golden eyes went off to. I'm surprised you managed to be so... luminescent, without also draining his hair white." Angelica quipped, stepping over to Amon and attempting to help the man back up on his feet.

"Well, at least your sudden appearance makes him seem a bit less crazy. Now that you two are over playing chicken on being in the same room as one another, care to explain what's going on here?"

Something between a cough and a faint gargle escaped Amon as he tried and initially failed to pick himself up out of the debris at first. "D-damn you ..." he said, regaining his voice, "what was that f-for-grgh ..."

While Angelica helped him up, Ra's smile slowly faded. "And I have nothing kind to say about you. Not yet." Ra stood up from the crate he'd materialized on. "Angelica, you wish to know why I'm here, and why Amon no longer possesses the Regalia, correct? Both incidents are one and the same. The Regalia was merely a tool forged by Raquel, so that she could find me. Now we are allies with harmonious designs for you all. We plan to fully prepare you for the war ahead."

"And kill me if I don't start acting more like you," Amon bit out quickly as he steadied himself, again, "Don't forget that part."

Ra's smirk returned. "Whether you live gloriously or die by my hand is your decision and yours alone, Amon. Your fear and your fury will begin to settle down once you understand this."

"So let me get this straight, you're clearly... some aspect of Amon. This Raquel that Amon saw in his dream before his ability was awoken, gave him that ability to draw you out... and when you appeared, he lost it." Angelica rolled what she knew in her head, assuming that what this Ra was saying was true... Amon hadn't contradicted it, just added on a sticking point that he was understandably hung up over.

"Well, leaving aside what this means for Haythem for now, to try and keep my head on the right track... that would make Amon's true Emblem ability not the ability to claim things and people for Aisha, but instead... Amon's power was the ability to summon you. You're certainly garbed in enough gold to pass as an Emblem ability." Angelica reasoned, sitting down on an undamaged crate after Amon was back on his feet, considering the situation a bit more.

"So following that logic, if an Emblem ability's purpose is to grant it's wielder's innermost dreams and desires, it stands to reason that you're here to guide Amon down the path necessary in order to make his wish come true. It must be something rather lofty, if it requires a sentient power in order to get that right... it also stands to reason that if you're here. then Amon's 'proper path' isn't something he would have been able to discover on his own." The mage continued, pausing for a moment as she continued to think.

"But not only Amon, but you said you had plans for all of us. So Amon's ultimate goal requires not only for Amon himself to become something more, but it's something that he can't accomplish alone, even if he reaches his potential... and since you're so set on killing him if he fails, something you've both mentioned so it doesn't seem to be rhetoric at this point... that probably means that if Amon is unable to become whatever it is that he's supposed to be, rather than simply not moving forward towards his dream, his further attempts would be an active detriment, to the point where his continued attempts would endanger... whatever that end goal is." Angelica paused once again, pinching the bridge of her nose. Quite the situation you found yourself in, Amon.

"How close am I? Or did I miss entirely?"

Amon didn't even want to consider what may have happened to Haythem and Isis as a result of Ra's existence, but this hadn't been the first time it came up. All he could do for now is listen while Angelica tried to decipher Ra's intentions from his vague declarations. Maybe some them would get cleared up.

"A fine effort," Ra said, though there was clearly more to it judging by his tone, "There are few threads that cannot be severed, however. Amon used to be in our way, but now that I am here, he can be removed at any time; Raquel would then see to this gathering's well being by some other means. In like manner, were Amon to depart with his life, my own ends might still come to pass. Whether or not it would become more difficult for either of us, I cannot say, yet so long as we are here, together, Raquel and I will endeavor together to prepare you all for what awaits."

While Ra's explanation was as callous toward Amon as ever, the sancturan couldn't help but wonder exactly how he was a problem, here. 'Raquel' had said the same thing, leaving Joanna and Liam completely out of the picture. Why? Why was he shouldering the blame for whatever they were failing to accomplish when he didn't even have the blasted emblem?

Well, he hadn't outright rejected her interpretation, but Ra's response did little to notate what was right or wrong about her hypothesis, and while his direct response seemed to suggest that she had been reasonably accurate, his tone and demeanor suggested there were further layers Angelica had missed.

"Amon mentioned earlier on that Raquel's intention was for us to become Emblem wielders. I can only assume that much remains true, as part of Raquel's intention to support and prepare us for the future. Of course, we had assumed that Raquel's method of communication with those of us who had yet to muster a connection to the Emblem was through Amon himself, but with you being here, I suppose that no longer necessarily holds true." Angelica replied, mulling it over a bit. If Ra wasn't going to be entirely forthright with her, she could only assume that she was at least on the right track so far.

"If you don't mind me asking, what threat does Amon pose, that it was so paramount to your plans to target him specifically? I can only presume that if Raquel is taking such an active role in all of this, that she could have selected someone else to, for lack of a better term, host her ally, and that Amon was a deliberate choice. Or is it more the case that Amon was most suited to connect to the Emblem, and was chosen out of necessity to be thrust into a position of leadership through you?"

Ra loosed a chuckle that pushed Amon onto his back foot. The sancturan could have sworn something bad was about to happen. He didn't know what ... perhaps Angelica had said something she shouldn't have, or hit up on some nefarious detail Ra hadn't been expecting? No, that couldn't be it ... but something still felt wrong there, just for a split second.

"Leadership ... no, our part in this is too uncertain for that." Ra glanced at Amon, who grew even more tense with the emblem apparition's eyes locked on him. "You took the initiative by acquiring so much from the Goddess of Night. That is why you may speak with Raquel, even if it is only in your dreams."

Right ... he had gotten information, or better said 'experience', from Nyx. Raquel had even said that he and Lilith were the only ones she could speak to in that manner. Amon couldn't help but wonder for a moment how Nyx wasn't on that incredibly short list, but dismissed it for the sake of staying on track. If what Nyx did was the only reason he was being singled out like this, then ...

"You are no longer needed," Ra stated coldly, "You may focus on breaking your chains, going forward. I will see to your progress and judge for myself." Finally, his golden gaze returned to Angelica, "And I will prepare the rest of you, as well. Not all of you will harness the power she offers. Some of you deny Raquel her purpose, and so she cannot aid you this way. Instead, I will instruct those with the eyes to see and the ears to hear. With one method, another, or both, we will prepare you for what comes next. That was, after all, my agreement with her."

"So less direct leadership, and more gentle guidance, is it? I suppose you're right in that regard, many of ours have proven themselves hesitant, if not entirely disinterested in making use of the Emblem... that's putting aside the resistance that Joanna and her guard will no doubt attempt to put up against it. So long as we remain so split, enforcing any firm decision would be difficult. Trying to actively lead from such a position would be... strenuous at best." Angelica noted, looking back and forth between Amon and Ra as they had their little debacle... or rather, while Ra continued to speak and Amon squirrelishly fidgeted whenever the golden man's vision came to rest upon him.

"But essentially, Amon's part in this is to, as you said, break his chains. He's clinging to something, be it physical or mental, that's holding him back and causing him to be a threat to your plans. While the rest of us, those who will listen, at least, is to harness the power of the Emblem, that Raquel is trying to bestow upon us, and use it to move forward." The mage concluded, her lips curling into a grin as she stood up from her makeshift seat, standing in front of Ra with a confident expression adorning her face, cracking her knuckles and neck as she stretched.

"Well, it's not like carrying dreck kicking and screaming past the goal is anything new. If you're here to prepare and instruct us, then hit me with everything you've got. I'll make up the difference for the others, if I have to."

"You're awfully enthusiastic about this," Amon said, not upset with Angelica, but a little annoyed by how quickly she was jumping at the opportunity. He'd known her to be somewhat more cautious ... at least more cautious than Shadrak. Then there was that chuckle from Ra, again. Amon's body tensed up involuntarily.

Amon seemed... less than thrilled with this turn of events. She supposed it could be a distrust of Ra due to their more personal connection, or simply wariness over the whole situation... and as Ra gave his signature laugh, Amon grew tense again, as if on instinct. The air in the room was certainly... unique.

"My my, do I need to cut the tension in the air myself? I'm surprised, Amon, I thought you'd be ecstatic for an opportunity to have Ra put his attention elsewhere for a moment."

Amon doubted Ra was so easily distracted, though even if he was, an extra break here and there wouldn't do much for Amon overall. Ra was dead set on turning his life upside down for the sake of some 'better man.' Truth only knew what he was planning to do with those in the group that couldn't become emblem wielders. "That's not going to help anything," Amon groaned.

"Maybe so, maybe not. Only time will tell... if I were in your position, I'd start looking into ways to try and keep myself from dying first and foremost. Lamenting the hand you're dealt doesn't exempt you from playing it." Angelica replied, wondering why Ra had grown silent as she spoke to Amon... it was only for a short time, but it seemed unlike him... perhaps he was interested in the outcome of their conversation.

"So are we gonna do this or what?"

Amon doubted Angelica would even be alive right now if some supped up version of her had launched an attack comparable to what Ra had done to him a couple of minutes ago, but that was beside the point. Ra hadn't even begun to clarify what these 'chains' were he wanted broken so badly. Even if Amon wanted to go along with this unjust reformation, he wouldn't know where to start.

"And what exactly is it," Ra tilted his head inquisitively at the mage, "that you wish to 'do'?"

"You said it yourself, didn't you? Aside from reforming Amon, you're here to prepare us to face the future, and to accept that which Raquel wants to bestow upon us. If that's what you're here for, I'm ready to indulge your offer." Angelica replied, considering what she had learned from Amon about the Emblem already... assuming it was true, it was also possible that Ra was asking a different question than that on the surface.

"Or is it that you want to hear my desire? The innermost wish that the Emblem so seeks to discover and grant?" Angelica continued, pausing for a moment. There could be no more hesitation here, for how critical Ra was of Amon, shows of weakness were too risky in front of Ra.

"It's not that grand, really. I want to shape my own future. If we're going to play the hands that fate deals us, I want to make sure I can always play mine the best way. So that I don't need to see another kid go through the shit I went through, so that... now that I have someone I can call dear, that I can keep her safe. What I want to 'do', Ra, is to make life dance to the tune of my own drum, so that I can become something like the heroes you always hear about. Like the ones who saved me." Angelica continued, her fists clenching a bit as she recited it. It seemed a bit silly, coming from her... she couldn't help but wonder whether Amon's vision of her would be shattered, but in the end, if that became a means to her end, so be it.

Amon had a feeling Ra was more interested in what Angelica had ended with, her more fundamental aspirations. There was definitely a story there, a painful past that wasn't getting repeated if the woman had any say in the matter. Her mention of wanting to be like a hero was definitely a surprise, at first. Perhaps it was just her wording; there were few people that didn't idolize someone. Amon wondered who exactly had saved her, as well as just how close she had come to being like them.

"I see," Ra said after a moment's deliberation, "That should be a simple matter. Simple, though I sense challenging obstacles ahead." He glanced at Amon, again. "Leave. Now."

The sancturan met the other's gaze with a scowl. He'd been here before either of them. More importantly, what was Ra planning that required privacy? "Why? What are you planning to do with her?"

"It's no concern of yours. Your part in this has passed."

His 'part', was that what he'd said? When had this so called part of his even begun? "What are you talking about? What part?"

Ra sighed, seemingly at wit's end, but then immediately fixed Amon with a pitying grin. "You were just a tool, Amon. You were just a tool, as you always have been." The grin faded quickly, right as Amon winced at the remark. "You were Lady Aisha's trained lapdog, good only for her perverse endeavors. You were Raquel's unbalanced blade, good only for cutting down her enemies. Yes, you were even Angelica's guiding light as she sought insight into her power. Now I am here, and no one will benefit from your involvement, least of all you."

Simple, but with challenging obstacles, huh? Well, fundamentally, most things were like that. Most feats that many would consider complex could be broken down into a series of simple tasks strung together in sequence, the real challenge in anything was performing those simple stepping stones without failing along the way. Of course, Ra was unlikely to mean what he had said in such a fundamental sense, Emblem wielders being so few despite how wide-spread it's influence seemed to be surely wasn't without reason.

Of course, that left the back and forth between Amon and Ra to commence again, as it seemed that whatever Ra had in store, Amon wasn't welcome to take part, in his eyes, and along with making that clear, Ra attacked the Sancturan with several cutting remarks, which based on Amon's reaction, seemed to be the norm between these two.

"Amon, I don't know what Ra intends to do, but fighting with him doesn't look like it's going to get you anywhere. You've been cooped up down here in the hold alone with both your thoughts, and now Ra himself, for nearly a week now. I might have joked earlier that he hadn't bleached your hair, but I'm sure you've gathered some gray, if I bothered to check. Taking a break and getting some fresh air would be good for you... Malik and Pete have done a good job getting the crewmen in line." Angelica noted to Amon, letting a sigh leave her lips.

"Regardless of whether you intend to go along with him in the end, or fight him until one of you perishes... you'll serve neither of those ends by letting yourself waste away."

There really was no point in staying, or insisting they leave instead, was there? No, probably not, Amon decided. In all likelihood, Ra would just send him flying out of the hold if he got stubborn ... and really, what was the point? Angelica was getting what she wanted, not having to dig for information from him anymore, and Ra was keeping up his end of the bargain with Raquel. Everything probably seemed just right from where either of them were standing. As far as Amon was concerned, his biggest mistake since Urquium was now costing him more and more with each passing day.

"I'm going," Amon said, already making his way for the stairs. He'd only made it halfway up the first step when his blood began to boil, again. He stopped, taking a moment to compose himself. He glanced back over his shoulder at the hold's new occupants. "Good luck, Angelica. I hope he's a better 'tool' than I was. And you," he looked squarely at Ra, "... however you're planning to help the group, keep me out of that, too. I don't need this," he indicated the scene with his hand and then started back up the stairs. If either of them had anything else to add, the sancturan wasn't likely to truly hear.

"Little by little," Ra murmured, looking and sounding especially satisfied.

Angelica let out a light sigh as Amon left, his final words before he disappeared a bit grating on her. The Sancturan was buying into Ra's game, imagining everyone else to intend to belittle him just as the apparition had. She'd have to try and clear that up later, at any rate.

"You're certainly harsh on him. I don't know your history, but I'd almost be willing to bet that breaking these chains of his involves standing up against you, at the end of it all." Angelica noted, stretching one final time to loosen her muscles.

"So, where do we start?"

"Harsh," Ra echoed, crossing his arms as he looked back at the staircase Amon had left from, "Perhaps. It is no worse than what I have suffered all these years. Amon will 'stand up' ... to me, and anyone else that opposes him, however, this will happen only after I expose the illusion of his humanity for what it is. Only after he sees his relationships for the dressing they are, and his 'good nature' for the arduous design that it is, will he find the strength and the conviction to break free." Ra uncrossed his arms, and his gaze left the staircase. "He will embrace the good in his heart, or the evil. The light, or the darkness. I will be satisfied that a choice has finally been made, regardless of the outcome."

Turning more fully toward Angelica, Ra placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, grinning faintly. "So then, ... 'hero,' tell me again what it is you wish to do. Tell me what you desired so badly. Is it power? Control? Security? A future fashioned by your own hands? Until you grasp Raquel's light, I cut you off from all these things." Ra's grin faded, and with his declaration came a brightness and warmth from the palm of his hand. Some of the light bled out from between his hand and Angelica's shoulder, but it soon faded, as well. It was brief, but the mage's shoulder seemed no worse for wear. "Until you grasp Raquel's light, you will do as I command. My every word will be your divine mandate, and I will not tolerate disobedience or pardon failure. There is only one path forward now, Angelica."

Ra's response told her that she had been on the money, at least so far as her final remark had been concerned. He intended for Amon to put aside his feelings and charity, so that he could find his true strength, unfettered by attachment. It seemed Ra was well aware that such direct pragmatism could find itself serving less than savoury purposes, but didn't seem to care as long as Amon reached an end on his own. Was that a bluff, faith in Amon's humanity to do the right thing in the end, or a jaded outlook on traditional views of good vs evil? There wasn't any real way to know, and something far more personally relevant took over her mind as Ra continued.

What did he say? His words seemed to hold so much authority, they left Angelica dumbfounded as she processed them. Cut off from such fundamental things, it seemed absurd. But Ra was not the type to joke, or at least he did not seem it, and despite feeling no different physically, that burst of light had been ominous.

"I suppose I'll have to assume you're serious. That's quite the thing to pull on a girl you've just met, Ra." Angelica replied, taking things cautiously for now. He clearly had a good deal of power behind him, if he was able to shove Amon around as he had... there was a chance he was seeking open defiance, but it seemed foolish to immediately jump to that conclusion.

"So what you're trying to do is corral my wishes and desires so that they're even further from my grasp then they were when I started. Distance me from them so that my desire to take them back grows stronger, more vibrant. Just as you know Amon's potential and need him to break his worldly chains in order to reach it, your methodology tells me that in order to do the same, I require chains to break."

Ra nearly laughed, again, taking his hand away from Angelica's shoulder. "It is indeed not our first encounter. Amon is my shadow, a privation of the light. His thoughts are my thoughts, caught up and twisted in those dreadful chains of his. His words and actions thus have no true meaning or purpose. You need not distinguish between us beyond that. Indeed, his words are binding on you just as mine are."

Those important details out of the way, Ra returned his attention more fully to the matter at hand, Angelica's supposedly temporary shackling. Seeing the situation as a more forceful approach to pushing her toward her goals, Angelica had made the comparison between Amon's situation and her own. Ra didn't seem interested in confirming or denying it outright, at first saying, "Perhaps. Or perhaps I am simply occupying myself at your expense, Angelica."

Crossing his arms again and laughing, he said, "It may be that you had come quite close on your own and I am merely delaying you to satisfy my curiosity. In the end, so long as those who could be prepared were prepared, and those who could not be were removed, we will both be satisfied, Raquel and I."

"So you're either helping me, or you're just an asshole, huh? Maybe a bit of column A and column B. At any rate, you don't seem interested in telling me whether I'm on the right track or not." Angelica replied with a sigh, though what Ra had said about Amon was interesting, to say the least. If what he said was true, then that meant that Amon could unknowingly spring some sort of irrefutable order on her... and something told her Ra wouldn't be inclined to make Amon aware of the dangers that might entail.

"Or so you say, but you've not actually imposed anything on me. I don't even know whether that light show of yours was real, I certainly don't feel any different."

"Reason to be grateful, surely," Ra said, sounding almost uninterested, "For the moment, your new bindings hang loose. Take care not to be reckless while they remain so."

"I suppose you're right, Ra. Is Ra the right way to address you, or do you expect something different now? My Master, my God? Tell me if I'm getting somewhere with that... I suppose if that's all, I'll be leaving you for now. Do a little contemplation on living underneath my own personal dictator." Angelica replied, pausing a moment to see if Ra had anything else to say. She certainly had a lot of thinking to do, if nothing else.

"You may refer to me however you wish," Ra said, spreading apart his hands in an inviting gesture, "though I will do the same."

"Very well, Ra. If there's nothing else then, as I said, I'll be going. I'm sure you'll visit me with something soon enough." Angelica replied sombrely. If he wasn't going to enforce anything... if he even could, Angelica still wasn't sure if he was bluffing or not, she had no reason to push things just yet.

"Farewell, Angelica ..."

Helpers

"I guess we don't look close enough to be siblin's," Greta admitted, "Still, ya think they'll respect him? He speaks the language, but that's about it. He ain't our most imposin' guy, neither." Granted, that was seldom needed in the trading world, but with so few other merits to fall back on, Greta placed more importance on it. She was starting to miss Haythem even more, now. Even though he was a rexian, he had a lot of merits: height, muscles, an endearing smile, friendly demeanor ... and a positively huge wyvern. That couldn't be helped now, though.

Altan Girl

Joanna shook her head at Liam's suggestion, "If we reach a point where we have to start lying, we're probably too involved with them. Even if they ask us directly, we don't have to answer them." She thought back to the conversation with Ra, and how he'd framed the situation with the emblem. It had been hidden away in a box, but was now displayed prominently on her neck. She had been worried that having it out like this might lead to a fight, but she'd been willing to accept that due to her dual role as its guardian and the Avatar of Mercy. Despite the increased risks, she couldn't let herself--or Liam, do anything that violated altan principles. Needless to say, it was much easier to stick to altan principles in Aria.

"You could always just go back to hiding the emblem in the box," Amon noted, "you don't have to listen to Ra and wear it like that."

Joanna shook her head, again. "Even if I wasn't already using it for something else, I wouldn't. We need to start making them deal with us on our own terms."

Edited by Phoenix
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Norbert stared in silent shock at Daichi for a second, though it seemed much longer than that, to him. So many thoughts were fighting for precedence in his mind that he could hardly make sense of any of them. Suddenly and intensely, some strong mix of emotion welled up inside of him, and burst out all at once in the form of a snarl twisting onto his face, as he practically growled, "You're lying."

Daichi started a little, new hurt briefly displayed. In heartfelt sincerity, he shook his head and insisted, "No, Norbert. I am telling the truth." A smile grew on his face, though it trembled a little, so overwhelmed was he. "You are my--"

"SHUT UP!" Norbert shouted in a full and primal rejection, even falling back into a defensive stance, and closing his eyes in an instinctual attempt to shut the man out. He quickly returned his glare to the Kigenese man. "You don't know what you're talking about! I'm Ursian -- born and bred! I'm NOT Kigenese!"

Daichi's expression showed his emotions transparently. Norbert was breaking his heart, but there was still a sort of sympathy -- or something like it -- there. Again, he insisted, "Yes, Norbert, you are. But you are also half Kigenese. You are my son!"

Again, Norbert tried to shout down the man, overlaying his repeated demand for the Kigenese man to shut up, atop the word "son." Given Norbert's reaction, Rizen began to think that this man may have been an enemy of some sort, and leveled her horn at him threateningly. Norbert, in the throes of his confusing thoughts and emotions, didn't recognize her intent, and was only reminded that she was there. Practically running on nothing but instinct now, he swiftly mounted the equine, and she and her rider bolted off at a run, into Arugai.

Daichi's own instincts compelled him to give chase, spurred by the irrational horror that he would lose his son a second time if he didn't keep him in sight. He got a couple steps into the pursuit, hand outstretched, reaching as though he could cling to his child and prevent him from disappearing again. But Norbert was soon gone from view, and in a way, that helped Daichi regain his rationale. He stood there limply, staring off after the pegasus rider, and feeling like he was suspended above the pool of emotions he had so recently been immersed in.

It was like time had stopped...but it hadn't. And this wasn't some lucid dream. Daichi's men rushed over, unsure of just what had transpired, or what they were to do.

<"Sir! Are you alright? What happened?"> One of them asked.

Without waiting for a response, another inquired, <"Should we pursue that man?">

<"No,"> Daichi answered swiftly. Really, it was before his consciousness had quite caught up with the happenings around him. It was doing so now. More softly, and weighted with grief, he reiterated, <"No... Leave him alone. He...has done no wrong.">

That certainly didn't seem to be the case, given their leader's downtrodden demeanor. And really, Daichi had lost all interest in investigating the people from the two, odd ships. He was beginning to feel exhausted from his emotional exertion, but other than that, he didn't know what to feel. <"I...need time to think...and to rest...">

Really, though, he knew that wouldn't help much. Thinking through things rationally, the best thing he could do for himself was probably to investigate the ships. Norbert...his son...had come from one of them. Maybe learning more would help him gain his feet again.

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Things seemed to have escalated with Lumi in some manner, the rider going off and being chased by Thales and Haruhi... she didn't know any of them well enough to intervene in whatever problems it was they were having, so it felt prudent to let them sort it out on their own... best to lay low for a bit, anyway. Angelica was still not entirely sure of the scope of Ra's interference, and being in Kigen was never a pleasant experience anyway. She could speak the language well enough, and was familiar with the culture from being here on mission... but the culture was exactly the problem. The locals... the men anyway, tended to be insufferable, and while normally she could pull a single man aside and slit his throat with little issue, she wasn't working alone this time... that sort of attention was a bad idea this time around.

At least Eva hadn't caused a scene, which was something Angelica had been a bit concerned over when the rider had taken Sasha to land and was approached by an officer... how much did she know about Kigenese customs? Would telling her about them make things better or worse? 

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Well, she was going to ignore things, but then Bert got onto Rizen and sped off, after a nice shout at the kind man she'd been speaking to. "B-Bert? What the crap!? Where are you... Geez!" She watched him speed by, rather shocked by everything. The other guy seemed pretty surprised by the ordeal. Eva kept a hand on Sasha's harness. The wyvern seemed interested in the speeding Pegasus, but not enough to give chase. "<Sasha, you stay right here, and don't move a muscle. You hear me? If I catch you going after that horse, at all...>"

Sasha let out a grunt, resting back down. Eva sighed, nodding. Taking some steps over to the man, she bent over a bit, just to get a good look at him and see if he was okay. "Sorry about him. He didn't say anything to upset you, did he? Norbert can be a bit... Confrontational, at times. If you know that word..."

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Nadya

"He's a man who speaks Kigenese and I'm pretty sure at least one of his parents is Kigenese. That's more important for respect around here than any kind of...personality quirks he might have. I don't think he's in political exile or anythin' either, although I make it a habit not to pry into other people's business," Nadya admitted.

Liam

"I would prefer never to lie, but if it is necessary to protect you then I will," Liam responded to Joanna with a bit more hesitation than usual. I wonder if so much time around humans is warping my thinking- I would never have jumped to violating altan principles so quickly before...

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The woman was back. Given recent events, the soldiers with Daichi, again, were unsure of how to respond. Foreigners were harder to trust than their countrymen, and with Norbert's reaction fresh in their minds, they were a bit wary. Daichi didn't show any sign of alarm, though, and even tiredly turned his attention to the Neviskotian woman, giving her a half-hearted smile. He wanted to defend Norbert, softening the blow for his actions as well as he could, but really, he hardly knew him. Still, he sincerely believed the best of his newfound son, even if his own thoughts and emotions were still confused and overwhelming.

"It...is not anything that can be helped," Daichi began, still a bit figuratively -- and even a little literally -- unsteady from all the revelation. His exhaustion was quite evident in his posture, and on his face. He tried to remedy that a little, straightening up and doing his best to shove his fatigue away in order to deal with the here and now, giving Eva a smile that was about half as weary as it had just been, though his eyes held a deep sorrow to them. "He told me as well as anyone can that my first wife is dead. It is...good to finally know what happened to her."

Daichi's throat tightened as a fresh wave of anguish washed over him. Gently, he pushed back the unbidden return of memories of his beloved Daphne, and cleared his throat to try to loosen it. New tears began to sting at his eyes again, though. "I-" He cleared his throat again, in response to its re-tightening.

Then, closing his eyes, the Kigenese man took in a deep, slow breath and released it. Then, he refocused on Eva. His eyes were now shining with overwhelming joy and relief, and the smile he wore was sincere. "I am so happy, however...to finally meet our son."

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"Told you your first wife... Huh?" She didn't follow, but this man seemed incredibly distressed. Had Bert actually said something, then? Well, if he did, it only made sense as the man finished speaking, Eva's eyes going a bit wide. "You're... His father?" That was... Odd. "I thought he was Ursian..." Well, he still could be, and be part Kigenese, as well.

"Hey. I didn't give you my name before. It's Evangeline. Eva, for short... Do you want me to go after him? I don't expect it would be easy to get near his testy horse with my wyvern, but... I can at least catch him. If you want." It would be good to bring Bert back, anyway. Having people run off into Arugai wasn't going to help them. Then again, a wyvern flying through the city might not either, but... Ugh, Gods, why hasn't he trained that horse, anyway? Star doesn't lose his shit whenever Sasha gets near him, but that damned Rizen is going to go crazy if I bring Sasha anywhere near her.

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"His mother was Ursian," Daichi clarified, "Twenty years ago, she went to visit the man who raised her: the same man who raised my son, after she died." It was still difficult to say that word, "died," pertaining to Daphne. "I waited, but...she never returned. I suppose Daphne never had the chance to tell Nigel about me. So Norbert never knew that I was his father. This is our first time meeting... It must be very confusing for him..."

Daichi looked sympathetically in the direction Norbert had ridden off in. He'd addressed what he considered the most urgent issue, but now he was remembering his manners, and gave an apologetic smile to Eva. "Ah, I am sorry. I do not mean to be rude. It is good to meet you, Eba-san. Er... 'Miss' Eba. Sorry. I am not very used to northern...er... <honorifics.> Sorry, again. I...do not know that word."

Transitioning as gracefully as he could from that bit of floundering, "I am Kazemi Daichi, Soldier 30th year, and Hikibain. And please, do not chase my son. If he is a part of your group, then he will come back on his own eventually, do you think?" No, wait. "'Don't' you think...so?" Yeah, that was it. "Thank you, though." Again, he gave her a small bow, though this one was a little bit deeper this time, and giving her a smile full of cheerful gratitude, even though his voice still held the weight of recent revelations. "For offering to look after my son in his time of distress. You are very kind."

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"First time... Yeah. That's definitely gonna be hard on him." Eva almost felt a bit bad for Bert. They weren't exactly friends, and his quick temper definitely got on her own, but... Having someone just come up and say 'I'm your dad!' would be shocking to anyone. Speaking of shocking, what was that San, about? Was that some Kigenese thing? He said a word in Kigenese, Eva hadn't the faintest was he was trying to say. "Miss Eva, or Eva-san, whichever works best for you. We're the guests here in Kigen, right? No need to conform to our standards. We should be trying to embrace yours."

"As for Bert... Alright. I can only hope that he does. He doesn't get along the best with some of us, but you're probably right. Er, uh..." She wasn't expect more bowing and respect. It was weird to hear someone call her kind, too. She was just looking after things from people in her group, right? "Thank you... Would it be Kazemi-san, or Daichi-san? I've got a lot to learn about Kigenese customs..."

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"Look, I don't doubt they're going to ask how Amon pulled that off," Pete said, frowning as per usual. "Not answering them is going to be a problem, since that's probably the most important thing both sides are looking for, and we can't tell them the truth, because then we're back to the first problem. Since you can't really meet with the Ursians, Joanna, maybe both you and Liam should stay away from the meetings altogether. That way, neither of you have to lie."

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"Stuff you need to do before?" Well, that was weird, but acceptable as an answer... if it weren't for the clear discomfort Lumi showed as Thales questioned her. She was very much withholding something, and as he lingered silently, Lumi spilled the beans. "Wait... wait, what do you mean?" Thales blinked, a bit long for him to process everything. It was very roundabouts, but from the way she talked about Pete's conversation, the implications were a bit hard to take. "So... you're leaving now? But..." He wasn't going to be selfish and tell her to stay if it actually scared her to death, but the way she explained it made it seem--

Of course, Haruhi popped in, seemingly glued to Thales at this point, and pleaded Lumi to think it over. "I... if you want to leave, then..." He couldn't deny it betrayed expectations, but it was put in a way that made him very unhappy as well. "Then do it without regrets, okay? We... promised that we were going to stick out for each other, didn't we?" Or something to the effect, he recalled, though not particularly proud of using it as a bait to guilt Lumi. "I mean, if you think it's too dangerous for yourself... we're probably not seeing each other again if you go. Why, why didn't you say anything before?" Damn, it was hard to stay level-headed, frustration and sadness were seeping into his tone.

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Conform? Given the context, it probably meant "change." He gave a very quiet chuckle at her comment about one side changing how they spoke for the sake of the other, but seeing as she was changing topics again, he didn't interrupt. What she said was a little concerning, and that showed clearly in Daichi's face. But again, she changed the topic. While matters regarding his newfound son were the most pressing for the Hikiba member, they obviously weren't for the conversation itself.

Again, he gave a sympathetic smile, though this was because of how torn he was on what to feel. Her attempts to change her mannerisms to be similar to those of his home country was endearing, but he was also worried about Norbert. "I do not know much about Neviskotia, but it seems similar to Ursium, to me. So, it would be 'Mr. Kazemi,' wouldn't it? Since my family name is 'Kazemi.' You do not have to change how you speak unless you want to. No one will think you are rude because of your northern way of referring to others. But if you want to, you may also call me 'Kazemi-san.'"

That finished, Daichi let his frown return. "But, what is it that you said is wrong with my son? You do not think he will return? You said he does not 'get along' with your group? Is he okay? Is something wrong?"

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"I... I..." Lumi glanced back and forth between Thales and Haruhi, tears threatening to appear yet again, something the pegasus rider was entirely fed up with at this point. "I know I was supposed to learn Kigenese from you and... And yes you're my friend but... " How come it was the ones that she barely knew that wanted her to stay while the man she'd been traveling with and considered a close friend was trying to send her away? Did he really care that much more about her? But with what Thales was saying... Maybe he just didn't believe in her ability to stay strong... But that didn't make sense either. All she knew is she was starting to get a headache from all of this.

"No regrets... How can I know..." Words were failing her again, and she started to try and push past Thales, running away again, but her legs wouldn't cooperate this time. They turned to jelly, and she found herself sitting down hard on the deck, staring down at her lap. Quietly, she tried her best to explain, "I just... All of this happened just a few days ago. And yesterday, I was just... It wasn't something that you needed to worry about. I needed to figure it all out. And of course I don't want to leave you. I promised... But I can't... I don't think I can deal with something like what happened back there. And I don't want to be a burden to you. To Pete. To anyone. How can I do this with no regrets when I'm going to regret it no matter what decision I make?" The tears were starting to leak out again and she angrily brushed them away, hating herself even more in that moment. She couldn't even leave without falling apart. She really was useless, wasn't she? No wonder Pete wanted to try and protect her by sending her away.

Edited by scorri
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Hoo, boy... this was getting somewhere bad. Lumi herself was now sat on the floor, and Thales quickly dropped to his knees to be at her side, watching her cautiously. "Look... I don't know what to say, but it... I don't think you've been a burden, or are going to be, I mean..." Words were failing, the boy quickly shaking his head as he tried to reorganize his own thoughts. "Nobody is expected to deal with that kind of thing if they don't want to. I don't think... most of us were ready. Even those who braced through it are fighting so that it doesn't happen again, right? That's why the group is going to that gate to try and prevent the fallen from doing similar, right?" It certainly sounded horrible, in his mind.

"Just... I'm sorry I'm pushing you, I just didn't expect..." Thales could have said he expected her to be tougher and brace it, but that sounded like a horrible thing to say in quick retrospect. "If you want to go, I don't want to feel like I'm stopping you, but these things aren't going to vanish because you left. Maybe if this was a petty war between Neviskotia and Ursium... but it's going to get much worse, isn't it? And, if we fail..." He stopped himself there, not even wanting to entertain the idea, it gave him a chill deep in his soul, to picture Ursium overthrown by the fallen. Sanctis, even, his old home. "I... I'm sorry." He stepped back, giving Lumi some room to not feel overwhelmed.

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"Well... If it's not going to bother anyone, Mr. Kazemi it is. As for... Norbert." Ahhh, this was difficult. How to word this to not upset the man that was supposed to be his dad. "He's... Stubborn. I am too, over certain things. But he... Gets angry, a lot. Easily. It makes things very tense with some people, and... I worry that he thinks that we don't want him around... I worry that he's right. So I think maybe, that he'll leave, and stay left, one day. Here's to hoping that his curiosity over you will bring him back." It was rather difficult to explain, she felt. It wasn't as though Bert was a bad guy, underneath things, but he was a heavily opinionated one. Heavily opinionated and unafraid to share it. It made things with him very abrasive. Would it be better if he left? She didn't know.


Haruhi had... Absolutely no idea what was going on. Both of them were talking, but between the tears, the worried voices, the collapsing... What had happened? She stood there with a stupid look on her face, eyes darting between Thales and Lumi, wondering what could have possibly happened! All that she could do was be there as a body of support, things were getting to be too much for her to understand. She knelt down and hugged Lumi, patting her back, hoping that it helped.

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Eva's news was heartbreaking. She was trying to be gentle about it but... Daichi hung his head, slowly shaking it, and he was visibly under a heavy, emotional weight once again, resting a hand to his heart with his second sentence. "He sounds so...lonely. Ah, my poor son..."

Then, Daichi raised his sorrowful eyes to Eva again. "Is there no one who cares for him in your group?"

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Lonely... Was it right to feel sad for someone if their loneliness was partly their own fault? Then again, was it right to shun him entirely just because he was abrasive? Eva was abrasive, and a lot of the group got along with her... Well, 'a lot'. Maybe four, or five people. Maybe six... But Eva was struggling to think of even one person that openly got along with Bert. Well... No. No, there were some. She put on her best smile as Daichi looked at her.

"There are a few. Our leader cares for him enough that I can tell, and tries to make sure he's alright. I don't know how much you know about Avians, but we have one in our group, and she cares about him, as well. And the merchant with us, Greta, she gets along with him... It's small, but, he has people he can talk to. Not that I'm much better when it comes to getting along with others..." Ahhh, it was kind of embarrassing to talk so much about Bert... Maybe I should sit down with him and actually get to know him, someday. I never thought about it as lonely... I know the last time we spoke it was... Neutral, but maybe we can make it better? Ehh...

"I'm sorry if that's not very pleasant to hear. He had more friends when our group was larger, but we split off in Ursium. They headed for Neviskotia. Maybe it'll be easier for him when we all get back together."

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Daichi's expression had becoming notably more relaxed, and he even gave a light sigh, muttering a quiet, <"I'm glad to hear that.">

Addressing Eva again, his expression had cleared considerably, and he was smiling easily again. "Thank you very much for relieving my fear. It is a great wish of mine for him to be happy." He frowned again as he crossed one arm, and rested his opposite hand on his chin. "That he is angry so often is concerning, though. I wonder what is bothering him so much..." Worry etched his brow again, and steadily, he grew more and more somber as he continued. "Perhaps it is my fault. Nothing could have been done, but I still feel...sad...responsible for being away from him while he was a child. And...I missed so much of his life... And Daphne... He had no mother to help him grow."

Remembering himself, Daichi snapped out of his thoughts and gave Eva another apologetic smile. "Ah, sorry. I am being selfish -- I should not trouble you with my sadness like this." His smile turned more relaxed again, and a serene sincerity was in his eyes. "I deeply appreciate all that you have told me, Eba-san." Then, with that cheery smile again, he added, "And I do not find you 'difficult to get along with' at all. You are a very kind and helpful person to have answered my fears as you did. Again, thank you very much."

The soldiers standing by were a little surprised to see Daichi offer the foreign woman yet another bow, and this one deep enough to be a respectful greeting to a man of equal rank. Daichi was unorthodox in the most good-natured ways possible, but this was still a little shocking. He must have been very grateful indeed. He certainly seemed to feel better after talking with this woman foreigner. It was still strange, though...

As for Daichi, he had noticed how big this group sounded from how Eva had described some of its members -- and evidently, it was big enough to need two merchant ships to carry it -- but such a thing was far from the top priority, in Daichi's mind. He would pay due attention the things he'd idly noticed, a little later. It was more important to express such a deep gratitude immediately.

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"Eh? It's really that good to hear?" She didn't really know how parents thought about their kids... That Bert was getting along with anyone must've been pleasing to hear. Maybe she'd instilled some sort of fear in Daichi that Bert was a furious lone wolf... Not just a prickly guy. Well, he seemed pleased to hear, though she had no answer for why he would be so upset all the time. "I'm not great at patience, so I end up butting heads with him, myself... I wouldn't be able to tell you what sets him off. But... With a man as kind as you, if he comes back willing to talk, I think it would be really great for him." This Daichi truly was one of the most pleasant people Eva had ever spoken with. He seemed on par with Joanna... It was only one interaction, so perhaps there was more to him, but he seemed a patient, kind, caring soul. Really makes me wonder what Bert would've been like with this influence in his life.

When he bowed again, and some of the soldiers turned surprised, Eva started to wonder if this bowing was... Inappropriate. She'd not really spoken to anyone about any Kigenese customs. All these sans and bowing and how things were seen here, she didn't have a single clue. I should really sit down with Hoshi and get an earful about things here. And all this praise... He practically had her red. "Thank you, Mr. Kazemi. You've made my first day in Kigen pretty great, so far." Since he was doing all this bowing, she could show thanks back, right? She held out a hand to shake, hoping the gesture wasn't lost on him. Really hope I don't get an earful from Bert, later... I don't think I've said anything off. Well, knowing him, he'll find something to pick at... Maybe having his dad around really will be a good thing.

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